Counseling Others

So, what am I thinking about today?

I'm still thinking about yesterday's post. I want to look at it from a different angle today.

What do I do when someone calls me with an issue/problem in their life? Do I immediately default to providing false assurances and start telling stories from my own life or others that I know concerning their issue? Or do I direct their eyes to Scripture and the truths found there?

Most times I will try to direct my friend's gaze to Scripture.... but sometimes I just start rattling about my own thoughts and my own platitudes ... trying to make her feel better. That's the counsel of man!!! The counsel of man doesn't go very far. It is not eternal like God's Word is.

One of my pastors once said, "Let Scripture bear the weight of your counsel." Isn't that great counsel????? !!!!! Scripture is our BEST counsel and Jesus is our only hope! Why would I ever substitute my opinions and thoughts for the truth of God's Word? It's pure folly!

So... to wrap up this topic.... when troubled we should seek the assurance of God's Word and when we are the friend that is confided in, we should direct our friend to the cross and to God's Word.

Pretty simple... and we know God's Word is THE best help there is.

2 Timothy 3:16, 17 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.

So, that's what I'm thinking about today. What say you?

counsel yourself, Diane!

So, what am I thinking about today?

I'm thinking about how easy it is to give others advice and counsel and how hard it is to follow your own counsel. Has this happened to you?

Today, I was giving counsel and encouragement to a friend who has a problem in her life and as I was talking to her I was thinking, "Now, do YOU do this, Diane? Do YOU trust all things to God and not fret and not worry?" I was telling this friend to not seek the assurances of other people but to seek comfort and assurance from God's Word. Then, in the back of my mind I heard myself say, "Do YOU seek comfort and assurance from God's Word alone, Diane?"

UGH! of course not. This particular friend will seek counsel from various people, trying to find the perfect answer to whatever is ailing her. This morning I realized that I am not any different. I'm worse! I am not the sort of person that talks to everyone about what's troubling me, seeking advice and input... nope... I TALK TO MYSELF!!!! I'm not even willing to seek counsel from others... I'll just help myself, thank you very much.

I mull things over, I fret, I re-enact conversations, I worry about what could happen, what did happen, what may never happen, what I said, what he said, what she said, what might happento me.... LIONS AND TIGERS AND BEARS, OH MY! I work myself into a tizzy!!!!!

I need to follow my own advice. Am I worried? Concerned? Fretting? I don't need to talk to a bazillion people for assurance and WORSE, I don't need to try and assure myself. I need to go to God's Word and seek my comfort and hope there.

Two scriptures come to my mind:

Psalm 94:19 "When the cares of my heart are many Your consolations cheer my soul."

and

Psalm 131: O LORD, my heart is not lifted up;

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvelous for me.

[2] But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

like a weaned child is my soul within me.

Some things are just to great and marvelous for me to occupy myself with. All things are best left to God and His perfect plan for my life... Oh may I follow my own advice and seek a calm and quiet soul as I rest in God and His Word. May I not raise my eyes too high and may I not occupy myself with things too great and marvelous for me to figure out. May I go to your Word, Father, and seek my consolation there.

PS.... the bible is very clear that it is wise to seek counsel and wisdom from godly people when seeking God's will for areas of decision in your life as well as Scripture. This is not what I'm talking about here.. I'm talking about the mind that sets itself on the course of worrying and fretting.... better off going straight to God and Scripture for that... worrying and fretting lead to well, more worrying and fretting. Ask God for help! He will help you! He has helped me!!!

So, that's what I'm thinking about today. What do you think about this?

NAME CHANGE. MAKE UP YOUR MIND, DIANE.

okay, so... I was all motivated about a month ago to start a new blog... on that particular day I was thinking about being an empty nester and what that looked like. So, I decided to start an empty nester blog! Then I hit a brick wall. I have had nothing more to say about being an empty nester since that first blog entry. So, I decided to just scrap the whole idea of the blog... but... I have that itchy writing feeling... I want to write about whatever I am thinking about that day... SO.... today I had a brainstorm!!!! I will change my blog's name!!! The new name is : (drumroll):

WHATEVER I'M THINKING ABOUT TODAY!

perfect, right? now I'm not boxed in to one topic... we'll see how this works... so, my friends... hang in there..... please don't abandon my blog... :)

see you late with, WHATEVER I'M THINKING ABOUT TODAY!!